12 Ways to Have A Perfect Christmas
Here are some tips from Brother Craig:
1. The first way to have a perfect Christmas is not to try to have a perfect one.
Surprised you, didn't I? You plan the perfect Christmas and someone will do something not according to your plan. You will be frustrated, perhaps angry and gone is your holiday cheer. You must make plans and set out meals, offer entertainment but be ready for someone else "ruining" everything. Of course, they don't mean to, it's just that your perfect Christmas and theirs are not perfectly the same. Someone will not be hungry just as you serve dinner. Someone else, having enjoyed dinner will sleep through the Christmas video you went to so much trouble to find. Rather, let people do what they want while hoping for some harmony.
2. Even on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day take a break now and then from Christmas celebrating.
This does sound strange but it is a helpful technique. Read a book for a few minutes step outside or hide in a closet. Try not to celebrate non-stop. It can tire you and increase the chances of disappointment.
3. Do not try to keep everybody happy. That sounds awful especially if you are the official organizer of the Christmas celebration (i.e. a mother). Don't tire yourself worrying if people are having a good time. Let people be. Offer Christmas food and activities and let people help or not help themselves.
4. Remind yourself of the roots of Christmas. Christmas, of course, honors the birth of Jesus and He really is the reason for season. Christmas, the word, refers to a Mass in remembrance of Christ, of His birth. St. Boniface, long ago in Germany, gave his converted pagans the evergreen tree as a symbol of the Eternal Christ and told them to stop wasting their time worshipping oak trees. And, yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus but he was originally called St. Nicholas of Myra, was a very nice person, generous to the poor and generally helpful.
5. Far ahead of time carefully write out all your plans for Christmas and then do half. List meals, parties, cards, and gifts and then do half. Everyone will survive. With Christmas less really can be more-more peace, more quiet, more calm.
6. Read a Christmas story. "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens never loses its magic hence so many varied film versions have been made. O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi" with its intense simplicity cuts right to the meaning of gift giving. Read "The Christmas Tree" (Random House) by Julie Salamon and beautifully illustrated by Jill Weber-one of the best novels ever written-it will live on as a classic Christmas story. I re-read it each year.
7. Give each person just one gift. Isn't it true that Christmas gifts tend to be unused, forgotten, and disregarded? Can you even remember what you received last year? Maybe the problem is that we have chosen quantity either in the number of gifts or how big one is under the tree rather than quality. A gift of genuine quality is cherished. I think one, memorable and perhaps useful, gift is best. Each one of the Three Kings brought Jesus one thoughtful gift. Learn from them.
8. More on gifts. Aren't gift certificates handy? They are hard to go wrong with. You just have to pick the right store for each person on your list. (Make mine Macys as I do believe in that miracle that happened on 42nd Street.) With gift certificates there is no gift-wrapping! Fellow men take note and rejoice! Here's something else about gifts. Children like to receive money. I know that sounds awful. But children prefer money to a gift they do not want. Children like to receive what they requested. Other gifts are disappointments, not surprises. Sometimes very painful disappointments. If you are not sure what the child's very latest wish is (whose to blame them but this wish could have changed a few hours ago) better give money.
9. Sing Christmas carols. At least, listen to them. Admit it - you don't know the entire lyrics of one carol. Not those fourth verses. This year learn one carol all the way through. Want to be less stressed during the Christmas season? Listen to "Silent Night" frequently.
10. Pray. Christmas is a holy day.Spend time in prayer. Be sure to have a creche and pray as a family before it. Remember it is the Birthday of Jesus. Of course attend Mass also.
11. Believe that you need Christmas. The whole world needs Christmas. In a world with hatred, war and cruelty we need the beauty and magic of Christmas! We need to all make a wish, for world peace, on the star of Bethlehem. It's the only day that, at times, soldiers stop fighting each other. (Sadly, they go back to it the next day.) We need Christmas because we need peace on earth and good will to everybody!
12. Help the less fortunate. Give a donation to charities that feed, clothe and shelter the needy. Be Ebenezer Scrooge after his conversion. Give to a charity. Maybe Catholic Charities or Salvation Army. Perhaps a local group. Help out at a soup kitchen at Christmas time. You will come away blessed. Tired maybe but blessed. Or perhaps visit a children's ward of a hospital. Bearing gifts and jolly good cheer, of course!
1. The first way to have a perfect Christmas is not to try to have a perfect one.
Surprised you, didn't I? You plan the perfect Christmas and someone will do something not according to your plan. You will be frustrated, perhaps angry and gone is your holiday cheer. You must make plans and set out meals, offer entertainment but be ready for someone else "ruining" everything. Of course, they don't mean to, it's just that your perfect Christmas and theirs are not perfectly the same. Someone will not be hungry just as you serve dinner. Someone else, having enjoyed dinner will sleep through the Christmas video you went to so much trouble to find. Rather, let people do what they want while hoping for some harmony.
2. Even on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day take a break now and then from Christmas celebrating.
This does sound strange but it is a helpful technique. Read a book for a few minutes step outside or hide in a closet. Try not to celebrate non-stop. It can tire you and increase the chances of disappointment.
3. Do not try to keep everybody happy. That sounds awful especially if you are the official organizer of the Christmas celebration (i.e. a mother). Don't tire yourself worrying if people are having a good time. Let people be. Offer Christmas food and activities and let people help or not help themselves.
4. Remind yourself of the roots of Christmas. Christmas, of course, honors the birth of Jesus and He really is the reason for season. Christmas, the word, refers to a Mass in remembrance of Christ, of His birth. St. Boniface, long ago in Germany, gave his converted pagans the evergreen tree as a symbol of the Eternal Christ and told them to stop wasting their time worshipping oak trees. And, yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus but he was originally called St. Nicholas of Myra, was a very nice person, generous to the poor and generally helpful.
5. Far ahead of time carefully write out all your plans for Christmas and then do half. List meals, parties, cards, and gifts and then do half. Everyone will survive. With Christmas less really can be more-more peace, more quiet, more calm.
6. Read a Christmas story. "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens never loses its magic hence so many varied film versions have been made. O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi" with its intense simplicity cuts right to the meaning of gift giving. Read "The Christmas Tree" (Random House) by Julie Salamon and beautifully illustrated by Jill Weber-one of the best novels ever written-it will live on as a classic Christmas story. I re-read it each year.
7. Give each person just one gift. Isn't it true that Christmas gifts tend to be unused, forgotten, and disregarded? Can you even remember what you received last year? Maybe the problem is that we have chosen quantity either in the number of gifts or how big one is under the tree rather than quality. A gift of genuine quality is cherished. I think one, memorable and perhaps useful, gift is best. Each one of the Three Kings brought Jesus one thoughtful gift. Learn from them.
8. More on gifts. Aren't gift certificates handy? They are hard to go wrong with. You just have to pick the right store for each person on your list. (Make mine Macys as I do believe in that miracle that happened on 42nd Street.) With gift certificates there is no gift-wrapping! Fellow men take note and rejoice! Here's something else about gifts. Children like to receive money. I know that sounds awful. But children prefer money to a gift they do not want. Children like to receive what they requested. Other gifts are disappointments, not surprises. Sometimes very painful disappointments. If you are not sure what the child's very latest wish is (whose to blame them but this wish could have changed a few hours ago) better give money.
9. Sing Christmas carols. At least, listen to them. Admit it - you don't know the entire lyrics of one carol. Not those fourth verses. This year learn one carol all the way through. Want to be less stressed during the Christmas season? Listen to "Silent Night" frequently.
10. Pray. Christmas is a holy day.Spend time in prayer. Be sure to have a creche and pray as a family before it. Remember it is the Birthday of Jesus. Of course attend Mass also.
11. Believe that you need Christmas. The whole world needs Christmas. In a world with hatred, war and cruelty we need the beauty and magic of Christmas! We need to all make a wish, for world peace, on the star of Bethlehem. It's the only day that, at times, soldiers stop fighting each other. (Sadly, they go back to it the next day.) We need Christmas because we need peace on earth and good will to everybody!
12. Help the less fortunate. Give a donation to charities that feed, clothe and shelter the needy. Be Ebenezer Scrooge after his conversion. Give to a charity. Maybe Catholic Charities or Salvation Army. Perhaps a local group. Help out at a soup kitchen at Christmas time. You will come away blessed. Tired maybe but blessed. Or perhaps visit a children's ward of a hospital. Bearing gifts and jolly good cheer, of course!
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